


Shelter

by mckvch (RaiseYourVoice)



Series: Tumblr prompts [15]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Bakery, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mention of Death, Pre-Relationship, Sick Character, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-18
Updated: 2017-01-18
Packaged: 2018-09-18 10:25:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9380219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaiseYourVoice/pseuds/mckvch
Summary: "I know you're about to close but maybe I could get a coffee?" Simon asked and his voice almost broke on a few words. He squinted a little because of the beads of water on his glasses that probably blurred his sight but Raphael could see that his dark eyes were mostly unfocused behind the smudged spectacles."You look like you rather need some tea and a bed," he commented dryly and rounded the counter to walk up to the door, flip the sign and then the lock as well. Raphael didn't care that they were supposed to be open for 20 more minutes. Nobody came in at this hour anyway and Simon's current state was a more pressing matter anyway."So, that's a no? You do realise I can't leave when you lock the door, though, right?"Simon was fidgeting and raised his arm to hide a cough in the crook of his elbow, the sound muffled by the wet material of the hoodie he was wearing - not exactly the right choice of clothing for October if you asked Raphael.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: "You're burning up" + human!Saphael

Raphael frowned when the door of his mother's small bakery was pushed open, the door chiming softly, and none other than Simon basically stumbled into the building. It was almost closing time and the other boy, while frequenting the bakery for quite a while now and being considered a regular by now, had never stopped by this late. Raphael knew the other boy was studying accounting and that he usually dropped by after his classes for the day ended to either just get a coffee or a pastry as well.

"Is everything alright? You're drenched," Raphael said in lieu of a proper greeting and his frown only deepened when Simon stepped up to the counter, clearly wobbly and a forced bright smile on his lips.

"Yeah, sure. It's raining."

"I figured as much." Raphael rolled his eyes and his eyes skimmed the clearly shivering body of the other, causing the worry in his chest to unfurl even more. Simon's eyes were dark, sad, and his skin even paler than usual with a wet sheen from the pouring rain but there was a blush high on his cheeks, a stark contrast to the rest of his almost white looking face.

"I know you're about to close but maybe I could get a coffee?" Simon asked and his voice almost broke on a few words. He squinted a little because of the beads of water on his glasses that probably blurred his sight but Raphael could see that his dark eyes were mostly unfocused behind the smudged spectacles.

"You look like you rather need some tea and a bed," he commented dryly and rounded the counter to walk up to the door, flip the sign and then the lock as well. Raphael didn't care that they were supposed to be open for 20 more minutes. Nobody came in at this hour anyway and Simon's current state was a more pressing matter anyway.

"So, that's a no? You do realise I can't leave when you lock the door, though, right?"

Simon was fidgeting and raised his arm to hide a cough in the crook of his elbow, the sound muffled by the wet material of the hoodie he was wearing - not exactly the right choice of clothing for October if you asked Raphael.

"That's the plan," Raphael replied with a shrug and loosened the strings of the apron wrapped around his waist while motioning for the other to follow him through the door behind the counter. Simon was frowning but it only took him a brief moment to react and follow, almost stumbling over his own feet again and only Raphael pressing a palm against his chest prevented him from falling on his face.

"Jesús! Ven aquí!" He called and it was soon followed by hasty footsteps clattering down the stairs to their right. A 15-year-old boy came to a stop on the last step, dark eyes bright and he looked like a tiny version of Raphael but with lighter and even curlier hair.

"Could you clean up the shop for me? I've got to take care of this idiota," he asked his brother who glanced at Simon but nodded with a smile. Jesús uttered a soft and almost shy "Hi" in Simon's direction after adding a "Sure thing" to his initial non-verbal reply and then he already disappeared into the store.

"You don't have to take care of me. I'm fine. I just wanted a coffee, Rapha," Simon mumbled but the other boy simply ignored his protest. Suddenly, Raphael's warm fingers wrapped around his wrist and he was stumbling up the stairs after the other who tugged him along until they entered a small bathroom. A towel was thrown at him before Raphael disappeared with a stern "Wait here!". Simon's fingers curled into the soft material of the towel before he lifted it to dry his messy, wet hair with sluggish movements.

"Here, change into these." Raphael was back with a set of clothes he thrust into Simon's hands before once again leaving the bathroom, this time closing the door to give Simon some privacy. He had absolutely no clue what was happening right now but Simon felt way too exhausted to complain and the prospect of warm clothes - _Raphael's clothes!_ \- was too tempting anyway.

It took him longer than usual to strip off his clothes, not just because the wet material was clinging to his skin, making it difficult to peel off, but he finally managed to get dressed again and a sigh of relief left his lips at the feel of warm, dry fabric enveloping his body.

"Are you finished yet?" Raphael's impatient voice could be heard through the door and Simon rolled his eyes a little before opening the door to squint at the other boy who was leaning against the wall opposite of the door.

"Took you long enough." Raphael grabbed his wrist once more to basically manhandle Simon into the next room and it took him a moment to realise it must be the other's bedroom. He had never thought he would ever enter Raphael's bedroom and here he was, being pushed towards the very inviting and soft looking bed.

"Lie down, I'm going to make some tea," Raphael ordered and was, once again, gone before Simon had a proper chance to react or even process what was happening. His aching muscles were reason enough to give in, though, and he simply fell down on the mattress that was as soft as expected. Nobody had to know that he buried his face in Raphael's pillow for a moment to breathe in his scent!

Simon slowly blinked his eyes open at the sound of the door opening and he hadn't even noticed he had been dozing off. A yawn slipped past his lips and he rubbed his eyes, sitting up sluggishly.

"You can stay the night, it's late and it's still pouring. I can accompany you home tomorrow," Raphael offered with a small smile when he placed a whole thermos of tea on the bedside table plus a cup and then sat down at the corner of the bed.

"I can't--This is your bed!"

"Yeah, so? We have a mattress that serves as a guest bed when my brothers' friends sleep over," he shrugged and reached out to grab the blanket and drape it over Simon's shivering body, gently nudging his shoulders to silently order him to lie down again.

"Relax, you clearly caught a cold and you seemed upset when you stumbled into the shop earlier. If you need someone to talk to, I'll listen."

Simon's heart skipped a beat when he saw the sincerity in Raphael's unusually soft gaze and he ducked his head, hoping the blush wasn't too obvious. He had a crush on Raphael ever since he first walked into the bakery and by now coming here might be something of an obsession. The bakery wasn't even on the way from his small apartment to the university so he had absolutely no reason to stop by after classes several times a week. Well, no other reasons than the owners gorgeous eldest son who had just finished high school and was now helping out in the shop while trying to figure out what he wanted to do with his life.

"Uh, well...It's...it's the anniversary of my dad's death," Simon mumbled, the thoughts about his ridiculous little crush vanishing under a wave of grief and sadness. His father had died almost 10 years ago but it still felt so horribly painful, especially on the day of the anniversary because everything just came flooding back, all the memories of this day. How he had been called out of his class because his mother had come to the school to pick him up and inform him about the accident. Simon shook his head slightly to clear it from the feeling of sorrow washing over him but only the feeling of a warm hand curling around his actually managed to pull him back.

"I'm sorry." Raphael's voice sounded so genuine and soft like he really meant the words and didn't just say them because it was the expected reaction to such news. Simon blinked to keep his vision from blurring and he bit his bottom lip, squeezing the other's fingers that were now intertwined with his and even this small point of contact already managed to provide so much comfort.

Simon wasn't aware of the words at the tip of his tongue until he heard himself mumble the broken "I miss him" and only Raphael's gentle fingers brushing a few tears off his cheek made him realise that he had actually started crying. The other boy shifted closer and simply pulled Simon into a hug, mumbling soothing words in Spanish that Simon barely understood because he was too unfocused to pay attention to what was being said but it calmed him down nonetheless.

They sat like this for several minutes, Raphael rocking their bodies a little and rubbing circles into Simon's back, his warm breath fanning over the even warmer skin of his neck. Even if he had only cried a little bit, Simon still felt horribly exhausted and slumped against the younger boy, about to fall asleep in the other's arms. Raphael shifted them a little and gently helped Simon to lie back down, tugging the blanket over him and brushing a few messy curls from Simon's forehead.

"You should get some rest. You're burning up," he noticed, his palm gently resting against Simon's too warm forehead but he was already dozing off and Raphael only shook his head, sighing. Even if it had been absolutely moronic to run around in this weather when he was clearly already sick, Raphael still didn't have the heart to be mad at Simon for it - not only because he now knew the reason but also because it meant the other was here with him, not alone in his own apartment feeling miserable without anyone to look out for him.

**Author's Note:**

>  _Ven aquí_ \- Come here


End file.
